Switzerland: Hbbills-uy

SBB Cargo bought 150 units of this freight car from German manufacturer Graaff Transportsysteme in 2002. The freight cars received serial numbers 21 85 2471 000 to 149. This is a very modern railway car that allows the transport of fresh and perishable goods in modern wagons to allow loading and unloading by sliding sidewalls as is currently the standard for palletised goods. Wagons are used to transport perishable goods both in Switzerland and neighboring countries, particularly Germany and Austria. The main focus of their operations is the transport of food for the Swiss supermarket chains Migros and Coop.

In 2003, Rail Cargo Austria (the cargo division of the ÖBB) showed interest in this type of freight car. After borrowing several Swiss cars they finally decided in 2005 to order 30 freight cars from the same manufacturer (with options for another 30).

The design of this freight car is based on a standard two-axle Hbbills car. It is fitted with a Thermoking cooling unit and the walls are insulated against heat leakage. The prototype for this car: 23 80 2471 149-0 P (DB)

Previous examples of wagon types with sliding walls with thermal insulation but without an active cooling system:
- the first were probably the 2 freight cars of the Dortmund brewery: Hbis type 297/299 - serial numbers 21 80 083 4 950 and 951 built in 1970 (DB);
- Hbis-w type 298 - serial number 46 80 225 3 500-8 P - built in 1973 (DB);
- Hbikks type 298 - serial numbers 46 80 237 8 000 to 003 - built in 1975 (DB);
- Hbillns type 302 - serial numbers 21 80 247 4 600 to 611 - built in 1997 and used to transport beer from Bittburg to Oldeburg (DB);

The SBB also has passive thermal insulated freight cars: Hbils - serial numbers 21 85 237 0 005 to 489. In 2001, one unit of this series (probably car 21 85 237 0 462) has been equipped with a heating / cooling unit and received a new number: 21 85 237 0 500. This test car can be seen as a direct predecessor of the Hbbills series.

In the nineties, there were also thirty-one Hbilss-Hawks freight cars - serial numbers 21 85 245 4 300 to 330 - which were already equipped with cooling units, but these cars were used mainly for testing purposes. These cars are a remnant of Interfriga's intention to operate in cooperation with SBB. However, the project never came together, although contracts have even been signed.